Philadelphia-area food co-ops will get to strut a bit on Saturday, Oct. 19, with the proclamation of “Co-op Day” in the city from Mayor Jim Kenney.

The announcement, backed by food co-ops in the city, celebrates the good that grocery co-ops bring to shoppers as well as to our region overall. The three largest area food co-ops (Weavers Way, Mariposa and Swarthmore) collectively put $12 million into the local food system, and support approximately 400 local vendors. With the addition of two new co-ops in the city — Kensington, which opened in the spring, and South Philly, set to open in the fall — those numbers have the potential to go higher.  

A press conference is scheduled at the Mayor’s office the day before the big event. On Co-op Day itself, shoppers can look forward to special discounts, local food sampling and demos, educational opportunities, and incentives to make pilgrimages to multiple co-ops in the same day.